“Clocking Cultures”

“Clocking cultures,” written by Carol Ezzell, starts out with a very interesting statement. She states that in some cultures, it is a usual occurrence to show up an hour late and nobody “bats an eyelash” (207). However, in places such as New York City, it is considered very rude. After a direct example that is very modern, Ezzell presents information that has been studied by “social scientists” (207) that reflect different paces of life in different countries. Also, being late in some cultures is more acceptable for “a more powerful person” (207). Another truth that Ezzell states is that the rules for being late or keeping someone waiting may not be “explicit” (207), but they “exist in the air”(207). As the piece advances, the writing becomes more analytical. In the fourth paragraph, Ezzell describes how different perceptions can lead to misunderstandings. The type of writing that Ezzell is portraying is scientific, which I later found interesting when I saw that she has been a science writer since the early 1990’s and works as a writer and an editor at Scientific American, which is a prominent science magazine. In the fifth paragraph, Ezzell analyzes the meaning behind cultures’ traditions. For example, by studying time, you can get “answers on what cultures value and believe in”(207). I found the second portion of the fifth paragraph very interesting. Ezzell’s research ranks the five fastest and slowest countries and goes into detail about these countries. She even includes the United States, which ranks 16th, near the middle. Overall, I found this article fascinating because I learned more about different cultures in comparison to the United States. I also found that we can find answers on other’s cultures values and importance simply by studying time and their traditions. Holla.